L.A. County officials fear spread of anti-Asian racism fueled by coronavirus worries

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County officials Thursday urged the public to resist yielding to anti-Asian stereotypes, panic and misinformation related to unfounded fears that the coronavirus may be spreading around the county.

At a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, community leaders emphasized that the risk to most people outside China remains very low, and winter flu remains a more immediate threat.

However, the common sight of people wearing white medical masks is fueling a “racist backlash related to hysteria and misinformation” about the virus, according to the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council — A3PCON — a coalition of community-based organizations that advocates for the rights and needs of the Asian and Pacific Islander American community in Los Angeles.

County Supervisor Hilda Solis suggested that fears of transmission of the coronavirus has sparked vitriolic comments in public and suspicion of Asians, particularly those wearing face masks.

“I’m very disappointed that people are buying into the stereotypes,” she told reporters, adding that “we shouldn’t discriminate on the basis of wearing a mask.”

Solis urged anyone who experiences verbal or physical harassment to report it.

“I want to assure the public that our medical experts have been working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct health screenings at LAX, which is our first line of defense against the virus,” the supervisor said. “In the meantime, we must not circulate misinformation or scapegoat groups of people.”

Recently, a young person was bullied at his middle school, beaten up and accused of having the coronavirus simply because he was Asian American, said Manjusha Kulkarni, A3PCON’s executive director. She added that there have been numerous incidents reported on social media of people being harassed, as well as rumors being spread.

The coronavirus epidemic has claimed more than 1,000 lives in China, exceeding the death toll of the severe acute respiratory syndrome — SARS — outbreak of 2003. More than 40,000 infections have been documented in China, with a few hundred in other countries, according to the World Health Organization. The respiratory illness is treatable, and patients are recovering, health officials said.

There have been 13 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States, with seven of those in California, including one case each in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Temporary quarantine and processing sites have been established at major airports, including LAX.

“Discrimination targeting our Asian American and Chinese American friends, neighbors and businesses is harmful to our entire community,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “This is not the time for the perpetuation of stereotypes and misinformation about novel coronavirus. Public Health encourages everyone to continue to enjoy all that our Asian communities have to offer.”

The virus was first identified publicly by the Chinese government on Dec. 31, when authorities indicated an unknown pneumonia variant was impacting residents of Hubei province. Since then, the 2019-nCoV has spread to several dozen countries, according to WHO, which on Tuesday, officially dubbed the disease COVID-19.

–